Cue-trimmer



(No Model.)

J. B. OLNEY.

UUE TRIMMBR.

10.551,195. Patnted Dec. 10,1895.

i571, I e y@ /11 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. OLNEY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BRUNSIVIOK- BALKE-OOLLENDER COMPANY, OF OHIO.

CUE-TRIMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,195, dated December 10, 1895.

Application filed September 4, 1895. Serial No. 561,4-06. (No model.) y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. OLNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing' at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cue-Trimmers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication.

My invention relates to what are known as billiard-cue trimmers or cutters.

is securely fastened at one end of a holder,

Previous to my invention various devices or instruments have been devised and patented for trimming the end of a billiard-cue, some involving one and some another principle of construction and mode of operation.

My present invention or improvement is on that type of trimmer in which is used astationary straight-edged knife or cutter, which adapted to be grasped in the hand of the operator, and that assists in retaining the cue in place laterally while with the other hand the operator revolves the cue and at the same time forces it endwise against the cutting-edge of said knife. An instance of this type or kind of cue-trimmer is shown in United States Letters Patent granted to me April 23, 1895, N o. 538,119. In practice this kind of cuetrimmer has been found to be defective or obj ectionable in the particular that it will not operate perfectly on cues that are considerably smaller in diameter than the bore of the handle-piece or holder, within which the cue is placed and revolved with its end contacting the knife or cutter. v

Billiard-cues vary in size-from a diameter (at the vicinity of the leathered end) of about five-eighths of an inch full down to about lthr'ee-eighths, and of course in a cue-trimmer having a tubular holder, within which the stick is inserted and rotated, the bore of said holder must be of a diameter such as to permit the easy insertion and rotation within it of the largest-sized cue, and in trimming this sized cue and those somewhat smaller the cutter or trimmer works well; but with the smallest-sized cue and those of greater diameter, but materially smaller than the bore of the holder, it is found impracticable to hold and control the cue being operated upon so as to trim off its end properly. During the cuttingaction of the knife and while the operator rotates the stick with one hand (grasping the holder meantime in the other hand) the 'end of the cue will often wabble within the bore of the holder and will sometimes climb on the edge of the knife, so that a too rank and' an uneven cut is made.

I propose to provide for use a cue-trimmer having a stationary knife-edge which contacts with the end of the cue in a line diametri@ of said end, and which operates on substantially the same principle as that of my heretoforepatented tool 'or instrument, but which will work perfectly and with equal facility on all sizes of sticks; and .to this main end and object my invention consists of a cue-trimmer composed of a holder and hand-piece formed with a longitudinal groove or flaring recess, which opens out at one side thereof, and a stationary cutter the edge of which is arranged to contact diametrically with the circular end surface of any cue seated within said flaring or angular recess, all as will be hereinafter more fully explained, and as will be most particularly pointed out in the claim of this specification.

rIo enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to make and use cuetrimmers embodying it, I will now proceed to more fully describe the same, referring by letters and numerals to the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification, and in which I have shown my said invention carried into effect, in that precise form in which I have so far practiced it.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of the improved trimmer. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, looking in the direction of the arrow at Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view looking at the opposite end, but with the cap-plate partially broken away, to show the knife and with a cue placed in position to be operated on by said knife. the line x of Fig. 1, and showing by full and dotted lines cues of different diameters placed in an operative position in the holder.

In the several figures the same part will be found always designated by the same letter or numeral of reference.

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A is the holder, and hand-piece, which, preferably, is turned out of wood, and vthe size and pattern of which should be such as to enable it to be securely and comfortably grasped in one hand of the person using the trimmer. As shown, this holder A is formed with a cut-out or longitudinal recess B, run- .ning the whole length thereof and flaring from near the axis of the hand-piece A toward its circumference, or angular in crosssection, as clearly illustrated, though it may have a narrow, fiat, or curved portion at the junction of its two flared surfaces, as seen at c. In the upper end of this holder A is formed a transverse recess or cut-out f, within which is seated the knife g that in the case shown is of triangular shape in crosssection, though the exact shape of this knife is not material, so long as it has a sha-rp cutting-edge, as shown. In the case shown, however, the thickness of the back edge of knife g is such and it is so seated in the recess f that a metallic disk or circular plate D, which is securely (but removably) fastened to the end of the wooden holder A by screws c presses hard on the upper rear corner or angle of the knife and forces and holds the knife firmly seated on the bottom of the recess f. lVith some other form of knife g, however, some other means may be employed for holding it rigidly in place, while at the same time permitting its easy removal (for sharpening it) and replacement.

In the drawings I have shown the parts drawn fullsize, and though the exact sizes and shapes illustrated may, of course, be varied more or less, I have found them to anl swer well in practice.

The particular angle or flare shown of the vertical sides of the recess B (see Figs. 2, 3,

- and 4) is not important, though it is desirable to have the shape and size of this recess such that without cutting away too much of the middle portion of the stock of vthe'holder A the largest-sized cue, such as shown at 2, Fig. 3, may be properly seated in the recess, and have the operative portion of the edge of knife g pass entirely across the end of the stick, and extend slightly beyond the circumference of its end, so that the tool will perfectly trim said cue end without any unnecessary extension of the end of the knife beyond the circumference of the upper end of the holder A.

It will be understood, of course, that the relationship of the knife-edge and the flaring recess B must be such that the former will coincide with a line diametric to any circle to which the flared surfaces of said recess are tangential, and that said knife-edge should also lie in a plane transverse to the axis of the holder A, and consequently transverse to the axial line of the cue or stick. To insure the latter condition, inasmuch as most all cues are Very slightly tapering at that part which has to be seated in the recess B, said recess is preferably made very slightly tapering lengthwise, the extent of taper being imperceptible to the eye.

In operating my improved trimmer the hand-piece and holder A is grasped in one hand, which at the same time embraces withi n its grip the cue, laid in the recess B, with its end in contact with the edge of knife g.

As the butt of the cue usually rests on the floor during the trimming operation, it is most convenient to grasp the holder and the cue laid therein with the left hand, and, taking hold of the stick with the right hand'at a point some distance below the trimmer, rotate the stick with the right hand, while gently pressing the holder downward, to induce the edge of knife g to take a bite on the end of the stick and shave it o square.

The arrow at Fig. 3 indicates the direction in which the cue 2 should be rotated, and it will be seen that with the fingers of the left hand clasped over the outer or exposed portion of the stick, at a locality slightly below the end thereof, the cue while easily rotated with the right hand will be easily held seated securely within the recess B, in the condition illustrated at Fig. 3, and it will be understood that no matter of what size the cue may be it can be thus kept perfectly seated in the flared recess B while being rotated and trimmed off. This is the important and novel structural characteristic of my improved device, and it will be understood that this cardinal feature may be carried out under various modifications, with reference to the other details of the tool shown.

W'hat I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v In a cue-trimmer, a handle-like holder having an externally open longitudinal recess, or seat, flared, or angular, in `cross section, and a stationary knife, transverse to said re cess; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of August, 1895.

JAMES B. OLNEY.

In presence of- J AMES J. BYRNEs, ERNEST J. TAROF.

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